D – Protrade Europe is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Wolfgang Amann laid the foundation for the success story of the German promotional products professionals in 1988. Together with Georg Bock, he subsequently developed the company into a specialist for clocks, tools and lights.
The company premises (l) and the warehouse (r).
After Amann left the company in December 2012, Bock, who joined Protrade in 1989 and has been an authorised signatory since 1992, has been running the company in his capacity as the sole proprietor and Managing Director. He is supported by an experienced team that is significantly responsible for the success of the tool and light specialists and which has been serving the company loyally for years. For example, the authorised signatory, Manuela Neff, has been employed at the firm for 21 years. “Our services are above all what distinguish us from our fellow competitors. Satisfied customers are our most important and most valuable asset, our competent and motivated employees our biggest strength,” explained Bock.
Alongside well-founded knowledge on the domestic promotional products market, one of the core competences of the company is its know-how about the manufacturing markets of the Far East. “We work very closely together with our partners in the Far East, visit the relevant trade shows and the factories directly,” Bock reported. The goods are developed and produced in factories that comply with high production standards. For example, quality assurance is always carried out on-site in compliance with AQL standards (Acceptable Quality Limit). Protrade also ensures that socially-responsible working conditions and quality management standards are observed. To this end, the company employs six people in the Far East as well as a product manager at the German headquarters.
The Protrade team with their Managing Director, Georg Bock (back row, 1st f.t.r.).
The warehouse that was expanded and modernised in 2009, is located approx. 3 km away from the company premises. The professional design of the promotional messages is taken care of by the in-house graphic department and Protrade has the items customised with laser engravings, pad or UV prints, 3D domings, labels or embossings by long-standing, external service providers. In order to offer its trading partners ideal support, last but not least the company offers an extensive service package, ranging from product training, the compilation of offers including visualisations, through to personal customer calls. A special samples discount on the new, end-of-year collections rounds the offer off. Hence, the Protrade team is well-prepared for the next 35 years too.
